Analysis of Poem 12

In poem 12, Catullus addresses Marucinus Asinius regarding the issue of napkin theft. Almost immediately in the poem some word play is used with the name of Marucinus. The typical order of the names is reversed which leaves the reader with the idea that Marucinus Asinius is Marucinus son of a jackass. This lighthearted fun seems to continue throughout the poem as Catullus addresses how wonderfully clever and witty Marucinus' brother is in lines 6-9. He describes him as "leporum" and "facetiarum." This can be contrasted with how he describes the actions of Marucinus himself (sordida and invenusta). Despite the lighthearted nature of the poem, it is very obvious how valued the napkin is to Catullus. This gives a hint into how obsessed Romans were with their napkins.